He frowned at the water. “It’s blue. Wet. Dangerous.”
“Sure, but it’s also wonderful. It’s a wild dragon who hasn’t been brought to leash.”
“Equally dangerous.” He fluffed his arms at his sides. “I should escort you to your suite, my lady.” The ongoing, subtle disapproval in his gaze pierced my confidence, leaving me feeling small. Defiance tangled with an aching need to please this person whose opinion mattered more than it should. “We have much to take care of before the king emerges from his suite to meet you for the very first time.”
Nervousness shot through me.
I took in my outfit. “I imagine you’d rather I didn’t meet him dressed like this.”
“You imagine correctly.” He smoothed his ruffly clothing, and the small glimpse of his smile made some headway in settling my nerves. “He’s an early riser. I’m surprised he isn’t on deck already.”
I sucked in a breath and peered around, expecting to see either a portly man wearing a bejeweled robe and a crown or a snide, vicious creature like my father striding toward me.
Instead, sailors whistled beneath their breath as they worked on this or that, keeping the ship running smoothly.
“How did he arrive?” I asked.
“The usual way.”
“Did he flit?”
“Please, come eat. You’ll need your strength.”
To take on the Evergorne dragon?
“We’ll also change your clothing,” he added.
“About that.” I cringed, remembering how I’d looked when Iappeared on the deck for the wedding.
“You’re not going to insist that you can take care of this yourself, are you?” His voice sparkled with kind humor.
“I didn’t lookthatbad.”
He blinked.
“Alright, I did. I’m sorry. I know it made you look horrible as well. Lord Lorant shouldn’t have been angry with you, though. It was all on me.”
“Of course he should’ve been angry with me. He’s here to protect you.”
“A relief, I suppose.”
A shadow clouded his features, his lips turning down on the corners. “Why a relief?”
“I’ve heard he’s not only the king’s bodyguard, but an assassin. Nice to hear he’s not on the ship to carry out this latter duty with me.”
“If he wanted to kill you, it would already be over.”
Despite the warmth of the sun on my back, my spine quivered. I hugged my arms around my waist. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“On the ship, perhaps not. On land, I’m afraid you will.”
“Why?”
“I’ve said too much already.” He dipped forward in a bow. “If you’ll come with me, my lady, I’ll help you dress.”
“I’m not comfortable with anyone helping me change my clothing, especially a man I only recently met.”
“I would never . . . look.”
